Accidents Happen
by Pathwarden
Summary: Cappy, in his quest to gain attention, unintentionally creates a tragic incident. (Concluded)
1. The Incident

AUTHOR'S NOTE: This short story is going to consist of two parts: The Incident and The Aftermath. When reading the first part, it is important not to jump to conclusions regarding the fate of certain characters. Some things are purposely left ambiguous so that I have the option of not making this fiction entirely tragic. But it's no big deal, so it shouldn't be anything to worry about.

Oh, and I'm obviously not the owner of Hamtaro or any respective ownerships.

Feel Free to comment.

**Accidents Happen**

_Hide...I must hide...I can't go there anymore!_

Down on the illuminated sidewalks of the city, a lone creature sprinted like there was no tomorrow. It was being fueled by unquestionable fear, for the eyes flowed profusely with tears as his breath barely kept up to his pace. Being easily frightened, it would never have risked life and limb in the nighttime before. But had he stayed where he was, a terrible punishment would have been bestowed upon him.

_Where's my home? I want to go home!_

Darkness began to play tricks. Every movement of shadow looked like a stalking predator. Every sound revealed the eager scratching of their weaponry. They pushed the creature onward, instilling panic into its nerve-wrecked body, until he finally came upon the entrance to his abode. Knowing the door was locked at this hour, the creature squeezed through the bottom crack. The rough cement and the splintered door sandwiched it in torture, assaulting its body with pain. It seemed like an eternity before he was finally on the other side.

The creature scurried to its home: a luxurious, deluxe-size cage filled with tunnels, toys, and ample supplies of food and water. But all the creature cared about now was escaping into his sanctuary: a miniature, metallic pan.

The creature flipped it over, creating a basic shell. It slipped into this shell, enveloping the creature in total darkness. It lay down upon its back, looking upwards into nothingness as it continued to choke and whimper.

_I don't deserve friendship. I don't deserve love. Not after what happened. Not after what I did. Why wasn't I more careful? Why didn't I watch what I was doing?!_

_I should just stay here. Stay here and hide forever. No one's gonna like Cappy anymore!_

**********

Before the incident, the life of Cappy was good. He had everything a hamster could ever want: A generous pair of humans provided his needs. His "little" abode dwarfed typical cages, housing a tubular playground that never ceased to entertain him. And to top it all off, he was associated with a colorful, benevolent group of hamsters who would gather every day to embark on wonderful adventures and activities.

Yet, something was missing.

Perhaps it was because of his less-than-average size. Or it could've been his notable shyness. Whatever the cause, it still bothered him at times that he wasn't very noticeable. He sometimes wondered if in fact he was invisible.

Everyone else he knew deserved attention in some form or another: Bijou, Pashmina, and Sandy stole the hearts of the males with their various charms. Penelope, the youngest, always needed a babysitter to stay of harm's way. Panda wielded unsurpassable skills in construction. Maxwell's affinity for books provided the group with an unfathomable resource of knowledge. Boss and Hamtaro were natural leaders. The rivalry of Dexter and Howdy never ceased to entertain. Stan's numerous attempts at wooing the females (excluding his sister, of course) always sparked an amusing spectacle. Snoozer, though usually asleep, occasionally uttered pearls of wisdom. Even Oxnard, who is notably timid, would always get a helping hand whenever he lost track of his invaluable sunflower seed.

So where did that leave Cappy?

He didn't possess valuable skills. He wasn't a social butterfly. And he couldn't even claim to have (or potentially have) a significant other. Cappy was nothing more than a spectator of this idyllic community, with his trademark hat his only close companion. He had pretended to be content with this; but it was only a matter of time before his deep desire for attention formed a growing knot of desperation.

One day, Cappy skipped going to the underground clubhouse. He traveled instead to a human facility, where the hamster pried on the activities of the people inside. There he saw scenes that instilled great awe: a beautiful ballet of clashing metal, booming cries, and powerful displays of skill. 

From that very first day, Cappy found what he was looking for.

For the next two months, the little hamster practiced those movements. No one could've matched his dedication to learn that deadly art. Every morning he would watch those humans, and every evening he would train in the privacy of his cage. Sometimes he'd inflict a terrible injury upon himself; but he would continue, despite that his body screamed for him to stop.

Poor Cappy became obsessed with learning those techniques. Sometimes he would stay in his cage for the entire day, repeating the same motions over and over again until they were perfect. All limits of his tiny body were breached whenever possible. He nearly forgot that the clubhouse even existed.

And then, his objective was finally achieved: he became a master fencer.

Utilizing a tiny sewing needle like man uses a rapier, Cappy's skills in self-defense made him the very first of his kind. His slashes were as deadly as a blender, his stabs as quick as bullets, and his whole motion as graceful as a ballerina's.

None of the other hamsters knew about this skill. None. He could already picture the surprised look on their faces. He would bask in the long-elusive limelight, modestly accept their praise, and maybe even win the affection of one of the beautiful females. All that was needed now was the right moment to shine. 

And that moment came on the afternoon of the talent show.

**********

"Thank you; thank you, ladies and gentle-hams! Thank you!"

Boss, the resident tough-guy (and field hamster) bowed eagerly as the audience reluctantly applauded. His performance, surprisingly, was a solo vocalization of a cheesy, romantic ballad. Boss' voice found that hitting the right notes was near-impossible, mutilating the piece like a sadist. Despite the torture, however, the other hamsters were either too nice to be critical, or too afraid of angering him, considering he easily dwarfed the rest of the group in size.

Cappy, who had always admired Boss' brave, enduring lifestyle, classified in the former group.

_At least the guy tried…_

Boss made his way off the makeshift stage. Yes, it appeared very crude, but a lack of resources had forced the hamsters to slap it together within the confines of the underground clubhouse. The fellowship of rodents was not the picky type.

Cappy heard the various whispers of commentary:

"Since when did Boss ever sing?"

"Ever since he fell head-over-heels for Bijou."

"Aw jeez, is he ever just going to tell her _directly how he feels?"_

"He's too afraid Bijou'll reject him, since she's an elegant pet hamster from France."

"Poor Boss."

_Yeah…poor Boss._

Up to the stage climbed Hamtaro, the assigned announcer for the talent show. His words dripped with his enthusiastic, childish demeanor:

"Wow, ham-hams! Everybody's been great today. We've had lots and lots of different things up on stage, so many I can't even remember them all. But I think everyone will agree with me when I say this has been the best show ever!"

The group responded with roaring applause…except for Cappy. He was quietly slipping to the back of the stage.

Hamtaro continued. "But time's running out, and we'll all have to head back home soon before our owners realize we're all out of our cages!"

The audience responded with laughter…except for Cappy. He began to unravel the cloth that smuggled in his rapier. His heart pumped madly, forcing adrenaline into his system.

"But before we call it a day, we got one last act to do. And this one's being done by none other than Cappy!"

The audience responded with speculative murmur…except for Cappy. He stood behind the curtain silent, posed, and ready.

_This is the moment. No more shyness. No more hiding. I'm going to make this the best show they'll ever see!_

If only his body agreed with that: sweaty palms, shaking, and nausea tried to make Cappy back out of going through with the performance. But the hamster worked too hard. Way too hard. God's command couldn't have swayed him.

"Now let's give it up for the ham-ham!"

Hamtaro scurried of the stage. The lights above began to dim, leaving behind a lonely spot of luminescence. Everybody stared into the empty spot, waiting eagerly for the swimmer-capped rodent to reveal himself.

_Now!_

Cappy charged dramatically through the curtain, his cry booming throughout the Clubhouse. He quickly shifted into position before the audience, the legs crouched and the sword pointed forward and level. He purposely froze for a moment: he was all smiles when he saw that more than one of the rodents had literally jumped in fright because of his sudden entrance.

_They haven't seen anything yet!_

Cappy began the routine, starting off with a series of stances, transitioning from one to the next slowly, as if he was an apparition. It looked very much like dancing, managing to capture the audience in a feeling of awe. But suddenly, Cappy engaged battle with numerous, invisible adversaries. He slashed, parried, dodged and stabbed, covering the entire stage floor with his fancy footwork, showing no mercy towards his imaginary foes. Cappy's whole body became saturated in sweat. It stung his little eyes, but all it served to do was increase the intimidation of his attack cries.

Cappy knew he earned it. The limelight was finally within his grasp. Now the time came to seal this deal permanently.

He took position in center stage, holding the rapier close. All of his muscles tensed as he felt a deep power build within. With one last shout, he performed his final technique: a powerful thrust capable of shattering bone. It was then that the dark, brutal side of sword fighting finally reared its head.

The rapier chose that moment to betray its master. It escaped Cappy's sweaty grasp, flying through the air like a spear, and indiscriminately struck a target.

"Eeeeeeeek!"

"No! Bijou!"

The resulting image of that one mistake burned into Cappy's mind: Bijou, the sweet, charming hamster from France, pinned to the wall, going into shock as the blade impaled her flesh, her voice paralyzed by the unimaginable pain, the look of shock in her eyes that stared accusingly into his own.  

_No…No! That wasn't supposed to happen!_

Everyone else gathered around Bijou, doing all they could to keep her alive. Cappy was left on stage alone, shocked, and doomed.

_No! No! Boss is going to kill me for this! They're ALL going to kill me for this! No! NO!_

Devastated, Cappy ran frantically out the exit, nearly vomiting as he passed by his bleeding victim.


	2. The Aftermath Part One

Author's Note: As I wrote down the text to this chapter, I began to realize that the material may stretch for just a bit more than 2 chapters. Those of you who know of my OTHER story may think "Oh, no! Not another brick-thick novel!" But I assure you, it won't be THAT long! Probably just one more chapter, at best. 

Commentary, as always, is appreciated.

**The Aftermath- Part I**

"You did it! You are responsible! You are guilty! You must pay!"

Cappy, the little pet hamster with the swimmer cap, found himself surrounded by all of his former hamster friends. No matter how benevolent they were before, the other rodents now bore the demonic look of hatred.

"You did it! You are responsible! You are guilty! You must pay!" 

Never before had Cappy felt so much fear coursing through his veins. The community of rodents had been dealt a devastating blow, and now they were prepping to reap unspeakable torture upon the one responsible…_himself. _

"Please, don't do this to me!" pleaded the doomed hamster, "It was an accident! I didn't mean to hurt Bijou! I'm sorry! I'll never use a sword again! JUST DON'T KILL ME!"

The cries for mercy fell on deaf ears. His tormenters inched closer and closer.

"You did it! You are responsible! You are guilty! You must pay!"

_Escape…I must escape…I don't want to die! _

It was at that point that his option for salvation materialized in his paws: his rapier, the long, skinny blade that brought so much happiness yet so much pain. 

_My sword…where did it come from? I didn't have it before-_

"He's got his sword! Get it before he hurts someone!"

In a flash, one of the hamsters leapt forward, in a daring attempt to disarm Cappy. Gut instinct met with gut instinct as the panicked hamster thrust the blade forward. The end result: _Déjà vu._

For a moment, the group stood silent, horrified at the sight of another hamster assailed by the cursed steel. Cappy lost the strength in his legs and collapsed to the ground as he realized that all hopes for forgiveness were now permanently destroyed. And then…anarchy.

"MURDERER!"

The group descended upon Cappy with inconceivable fury. Like ravenous wolves, they tore at his fur and flesh, doing all they could to make the fencer suffer. The rodent cried in agony as they gouged his face, ripped apart his limbs, and exposed the contents of his guts to the open air…

Only to be rescued by his sudden awakening, as he once again found himself within the confines of his cage.

He wiped the cold sweat off his brow. _Another terrible nightmare…_

**********

Five days have come and gone since the incident, a period of time that has felt eternal for the tiny pet hamster. No more did he have the freedom to explore the world outside his owner's craft store. No more could he socialize with his own kind. The hamster's official status had gone from common pet rodent all the way down to wanted fugitive. He knew the others would be itching for the opportunity to catch him and punish him for what he had done to poor Bijou. That meant the deluxe cage would be more than his home: it would be his entire universe.

Even though his owners spoiled him with all those miniature toys, none of those items of entertainment had the power to kill time. Cappy's terrible deed weighed like a ball chain upon his conscience. It would kill any moment that came close to actual happiness, shouting like a furious parent in his mind, painfully reminding him that the only thing he deserved now was capital punishment.

Cappy had never experienced such overwhelming feelings of depression, a truth that was evident in his deteriorating health. He didn't eat, hardly drank, and did not even bother to exercise. Malnutrition was waging war against him, and Cappy had nothing to prevent it from conquering his weakening frame. This sudden drop in health was quickly noticed by his two owners, who were always over-protective to begin with, yet had no idea what circumstances led to this new sickness.

"Honey, come here for a moment. There's something wrong with Cappy."

"Oh, my! He's lost a lot of weight!"

"And he hasn't eaten a single seed from his food stash, either."

"And he's hardly moving! Dear, he could be dying!"

"I'll get the carrier! Cappy needs a vet!"

Needless to say, that trip proved to be fruitless for the hamster's owners. But despite the lack of useful input from the doctors, the two still did everything in their power to help Cappy recover from illness. 

_They're only being nice because they don't know what I've done…If they knew, they'd disown me…I can't stand dying out there…cold and hunted…_

_I want my life back…_

**********

Now, on this fifth night, the pet hamster lost all desire for sleep. To collapse into the dreamland would have only brought more torment upon him, for the dark recesses of his mind allowed his greatest fears to manifest in his unconscious world. Of course, Cappy did not have the energy to effectively kill time, either. His decaying health prohibited such activity. All he could do was stare aimlessly into the darkness outside his cage, hoping that no creature of the night would try to terrorize him.

Occasionally, Cappy's eyelids drooped down without his knowledge, as if an unknown entity had closed them like window drapes. This would be remedied by a swift bite to his paw, a tactic equal to being splashed with scalding water. The following suffering escaped through his tears, unable to hide in such a wretched body.

_This is horrible!_

_I can't even sleep anymore!_

_All I wanted was just one chance to show I could do something. To show I deserved to be with them. Instead, I lose EVERYTHING!_

_They all hate me now. They must! Not even Hamtaro could forgive me for what happened to Bijou. And Boss…sooner or later, he's going to come after me. I know it. Yet I can't do anything about it!_

_Even if I tell him it was an accident, it won't change a thing!_

*scratch, scratch, scratch*

Cappy's thoughts were interrupted when the faint sound of wood being scraped reached his sensitive ears. At first, Cappy was enveloped in his typical curiosity; but it took little time to realize that the common noise signaled impending doom.

At once, he jarred his focus towards the wooden door of the room. Sure enough, the sound was steadily emitting from that direction. Then, all fears were confirmed when a tiny shadow squeezed through the bottom crack of the entrance and dashed into the cover of the darkness.

_Boss! He's here!_

Cappy was not prepared for this. He had hoped the field hamster would've arrived on a later day, when the caged rodent wasn't engulfed in relentless remorse. Deep down, however, it was known that his guilt would've never gone away. Regardless, Cappy's final hour had now arrived. None could save him. None would want to.

Panic overtook the hamster. _I don't want to die!_

With nowhere else to go, Cappy dove under the cover of his pint-sized, metallic pan. Hyperventilation conquered his lungs as his heart practically burst with every forceful pump against the ground. It wasn't long before he began to wail pitifully with what could possibly be his final words.

"I didn't mean to do it! It was an accident! An accident!"

*tappa, tappa, tappa* went the floor.

"I would NEVER want to hurt anyone like that! Not anyone!"

*snip, snap* went the metal cage door.

"I know I can't undo what I did, and I know I deserve to be punished, but I'm sorry! I'm sorry for EVERYTHING!"

Cappy's voice collapsed to inconsolable sobbing as his body curled up like an infant child. He froze as the shell covering him was lifted and tossed effortlessly to the side. For a moment, he could make out the unmistakable black-tan pattern of Boss' fur, but then the eyes squeezed tightly as he halted his breath for the preparation of his torturous, painful death.

But then, something strange, something peculiar, something _unexpected occurred: No blood was spilled, no eyes were gouged, and no limbs were torn from their joints. Instead, Boss stared at the pathetic hamster at his feet for what felt eternal in time before asking a single question:_

"Why are you hiding from us?"

The question caught Cappy completely off-guard. He opened his eyes and looked up at the field hamster, his face contorted by fear and confusion. 

"Why are you hiding from us?" Boss asked again, his tone stronger now.

"I…I…"

"Do you have any idea how much pain you've caused?" Boss cut in, his anger sparking his words with flame. "Everyone's devastated by what you did! Bjiou's life has been hanging by a thread ever since your sword impaled her. Some of the ham-hams can't go a single day without crying over the thought of losing her. I know I can't: Every night I would visit her cage, see that clotted patch on her shoulder, listen to her whimper and cry because she can't come to us anymore. Do you have any idea knowing that someone you love might die the next day?! No one deserves that kind of suffering! No one!"

Boss inched closer to the pet hamster, his voice emitting an ominous tone. "Some of the guys think you hurt her on purpose. They say I should punish you for what happened, and make sure you will never hurt anyone again…"

Cappy's heart stopped. _This is it…_

"…but the truth is, I think they're wrong."

_What?_

Boss halted his advance, and continued now with a calm demeanor. "I was one of the few who saw you exit the clubhouse that day. You didn't waltz out like some cold-blooded killer; you ran like you were being chased by a starving cat. Only terrified hamsters run like that.

"What you did wasn't on purpose. It was an accident. But you knew the other hamsters wouldn't see it that way. So you ran. Ran and hid from us. Am I right, Cappy?"

_Boss…he…he's showing me mercy!_

The tremendous guilt had been lifted. The fear had been washed away. The long, winding tunnel of pain and depravity finally gave way to the light of redemption. And for the first time since that terrible incident, Cappy experienced feelings of pure ecstasy. He jumped to his feet and dove into Boss' arms, embracing the field hamster like he embraced his owners.

"Boss! I thought you'd never understand! I thought you would kill me! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! You have no idea how sorry I am for hurting Bijou!"

"I'm glad you are, Cappy," Boss said, holding the pet hamster like a son, "Deep down, I knew you didn't mean harm. But now you need to be strong, Cappy."

"What do you mean?"

"Cappy, you owe Bijou and the ham-hams an apology."

The shivers began to crawl back. "But Boss…what if they never forgive me? What if Bijou-"

"Don't say that!" Boss cut off, "I know things don't look good now, but I would never let ANYTHING break up our group. We're all good hamsters; we help each other as much as we help ourselves. We can't let freak accidents throw that all away! Do you understand what I'm saying to you?"

Cappy hesitated. "Yes."

"Then come with me."

"Come with you? To where?"

"To Bijou's."

"Now?"

"Yes, now. She needs your apology more than anyone else."

"But…I'm so _weak_ now."

"Then have some food and water. I'll help you get to her cage."


	3. The Aftermath Part Two

Author's Note: I want to extend my thanks to those who have taken the time to drop off a comment or two. This chapter will conclude the story. However, if the public so desires, I have plans to write an alternate ending, which would be significantly different from this one, or to extend the story itself a bit beyond this final chapter. But since I have a much larger project in the works at the moment, I can't guarantee that it would come out any time soon.

As always, critique is appreciated.

**The Aftermath: Part 2**

For what seemed like hours the two of them journeyed to the home of Bijou. The trip proved to be daunting for Cappy: the fear of being spotted by predators in the open combined with the haunting cover of darkness caused the poor hamster to occasionally collapse to the ground, lacking the courage to continue. But Boss pushed him on, always reminding the pet hamster what had to be done.

Their trek covered a lot of territory: out of the commercial district, into the local park, through the underground network of tunnels constructed by Boss, and, at last, to the front yard of Bijou's abode.

"Well, here we are," Boss said, once they had reached their destination, "Now we just have to climb that tree nearby. It's the only way up to the second-story window."

Cappy looked up to the humongous, magnificent house before him. At once, his heart sank. "I don't know if I can do this, Boss."

"Climbing the tree or apologizing to Bijou?"

"Both!" Cappy exclaimed "I feel like I could die after that trip, and as for Bijou-"

"Cappy!" Boss snapped, interrupting him, "You made it this far. Don't turn your back on her now. And if you need help going up, you can just ride on my back."

That's exactly what was done, for Cappy truly was exhausted. Fortunately, Boss could easily support the small hamster, and in moments the two reached the one branch that extended to the window. As luck would have it, the window was left open by a small crack, permitting easy access inside. However, one obstacle still remained in the way…

"Cappy…we can't jump across that gap if you're on my back. We'd be too heavy."

Boss was right: the extension of the tree would dip downwards with their combined weight, making the jump impossible. That left only one course of action…

"Cappy," Boss said, as he helped the rodent off his back, "You'll have to make the jump yourself."

"But I'm still so tired," Cappy pleaded, "I might not make it!"

"It is a risk we'll have to take."

Boss dashed to the end of the tree branch. He leapt into the air with unexpected grace, and safely landed on the small window ledge. He turned back to face Cappy.

"If a big hamster like me can do it, then a little guy like you shouldn't have a problem. Now come on! Bijou's waiting!" Boss called across the gap, motioning with his paws to come forward.

Having no other choice, the hamster with the swimming cap prepped himself. His muscles were stretched, and deep breaths entered his lungs. And then, with his energy focused, Cappy sprinted down the finger of bark and sprung forward like a pouncing kitten. But he didn't quite make it, for his chest slammed hard into the unforgiving ledge. The pet hamster would've continued to a gruesome demise had the field hamster not grabbed him and pulled him up to safety.

Cappy coughed, trying to regain the air that was forced from his body. "Thank you," he said weakly.

"I would never let you die…or anyone, for that matter," Boss replied, "Now let's go in. Bijou's probably resting now, but she'll rest a lot better once she hears what you have to say."

The two hamsters quietly squeezed through the window crack, entering the interior of the house. They found themselves within the confines of a child's bedroom, lifeless and drained of color. Across from the window stood the bed, where a still head of a human could be seen resting on a pillow. It was in front of the window, however, where Boss and Cappy wished to proceed: a table of smooth plastic, upon which stood the modest cage of the feminine, French hamster.

Cappy quickly spotted Bijou. The female chose not to rest in her "mini-house" that night, instead resting upon her stomach in the center of her cage. Her coat of wintry white stood out in the moonlight that basked her little abode. He could not see Bijou's face, but to miss the moist, white/crimson patch that encompassed her left shoulder would be impossible, as well the as the faint whimper that flowed from her lips.

Needless to say, Cappy's guilt rushed back to him like a tidal wave.

In-between her moments of weeping, the French hamster spoke to Boss in her slight accent, not aware of Cappy's presence: "Boss…it's been so long since I've talked to anyone…please….please come to me…"

Cappy grasped Boss' paw. "This is so terrible," he whispered, "She's never going to forgive me!"

"Have some faith, Cappy," Boss whispered back.

Slowly, the two approached the entrance to her cage. Boss, signaling Cappy to wait outside the cage, entered Bijou's residence, greeting the small female warmly.

"I'm here, Bijou. How have you been?"

"I wish I could say 'I'm fine,' but…it hurts…so much…I don't know how much longer I can take."

"Please, Bijou, don't say things like that. I know you'll get through this ordeal. You just have to find the strength within yourself. And if you can't find it…I'll provide it for you."

"Oh, Boss…you've always been so kind. If only the others could visit me…I miss everyone so much."

"Actually...There is someone else with me tonight."

"Another guest? Is it Hamtaro? What I'd do to see his childish face again!"

"No…It's not Hamtaro."

"Oh."

"But, it's someone just as important."

"Please don't leave me in suspense, Boss. Who could it be?"

"You'll see in a moment."

Boss turned around, signaling Cappy to enter. The swimmer-capped rodent did so, clumsily climbing into the cage. Shaking with nervousness, he slowly walked towards the two until he stood side-by-side with the field hamster.

Bijou took one look at Cappy…and screamed.

"What is HE doing here?!"

Her body overtaken by hysteria, she frantically scurried to the other side of the cage, her wound screaming in agony with each panicked step. She pressed her back against the steel bars, the eyes flowing like waterfalls, cold sweat dripping throughout her pampered fur.

"Wait, Bijou! This is not what-" Boss tried to say, but the female's fright overtook her reasoning, and thus the following words burst out of her mouth:

"You cruel, heartless **monster! Why did you bring him here, the one who tried to kill me?! You brought him here to finish me off, didn't you?! Didn't you?! Everything you said was a lie! You actually want me to DIE! **

"WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS TO ME?!"

At once, the brutal consequence revealed itself to a horrified Cappy. His one slip of the grip…his one, single mistake…caused such inconceivable torture! Surely a life in exile was better than confronting such a terrible error!

_Yet…I wasn't better off hiding…I was **dying**…in my own home…just like Bijou…_

Boss, his own eyes stained with tears, cried to the hysterical hamster: "Bijou, how could you say that about me? I'm not cruel! I'm not heartless! I would never want to hurt you **at all!"**

"Then why is Cappy here?!" Bijou wailed, pressing ever harder against the steel bars.

It was at that point, when Bijou's fright reached its peak, that Cappy finally realized what must be done. In order for Bijou to recover from her pain and live a happy hamster life again, she had to receive the righteous justice she deserved. The one who inflicted the suffering must now suffer equally. An eye for an eye. A tooth for a tooth. A wound for a wound.

_My blood for her blood…_

His voice rising above the din of the hysterical Bijou, Cappy answered her question with the words of no return: "I am here to be punished!"

Bijou, Boss, even the rustling trees outside, hushed into an eerie silence. Boss turned to Cappy, expressing newfound sorrow, his eyes begging the swimmer-capped rodent not to throw away his chance for redemption. Bijou's hysteria died off as quickly as it came, leaving behind a female hamster who no longer knew what to believe.

Cappy, his voice unstable from the thought of the inevitable, continued speaking to both of them, softly and slowly, "Bijou…I never knew how badly I hurt you. If I could, I'd say 'I'm sorry' until my face turned blue. Even then, it wouldn't be enough.

"I should never have performed that last move. I was too caught up in impressing you guys to see that the sword would slip out of my hand. All I wanted was to show everyone that I could do something worthwhile, that I wasn't just taking up space. But it is you who suffers because I messed up? That's not fair, not fair at all!

"It doesn't matter that it was an accident anymore. No one would ever understand. Even if you don't die, I'd still be hated. But if they knew I was punished, I can go back to being a quiet nobody, and you would no longer be so scared of me."

Cappy stumbled towards the center of the cage. He stopped, looking at Bijou with unmatched remorse. He peeled off his green cap, revealing the ruffled fur beneath. Then, he laid down upon the ground face-up, the muscles relaxed, and the beady eyes closing shut as the tears trickled down his cheeks. Finally, he placed his cap loosely over his face, for the purpose of muffling his future cries.

"I deserve whatever you do to me."

Boss, dismayed where this was going, protested from the bottom of his heart, "Cappy…I can't…I won't! Two wrongs don't make a right!"

"It is the only way!" Cappy cried.

"But you feel sorry for what you've done; you don't need to be punished!"

"I won't be forgiven unless I pay the price!"

There was no hope for compromise between the two hamsters. The choices now opposed each other like sides of a coin: receive mercy and forgiveness, or receive the sentence of unspeakable pain. The conflicting views of Boss and Cappy nullified the decision thus far. This meant the choice was now left to one identity: Bijou, the victim of the whole ordeal.

Boss and Cappy fell silent as her weak footsteps began to approach. The field hamster watched with great anxiety, uncertain of what she was about to do. Cappy, unable to see but able to hear, readied himself for the penalty.

Bijou stood beside Cappy and said, "I will do only one thing to you, and then you will have my forgiveness."

Boss' jaw dropped, surprised and crestfallen that the white, furry female chose the path of punishment. He watched helplessly, praying that the penalty would be swift.

"I'm ready," Cappy said, still muffled by his cap.

The French hamster bent down to Cappy's head. She lifted the hat off and tossed it to the side. Her paws firmly gripped Cappy's cheeks. The rodent at Bijou's mercy gulped, awaiting the blow that would likely scar his face for life.

And then, the punishment was dealt: A soft, sweet, enduring kiss to the lips. 

Boss' jaw dropped even lower as Cappy's eyes popped open in shock.

When she was done, Bijou let go of Cappy's cheeks, smiling at the bewildered hamsters in her cage. "Cappy has my forgiveness now."

_She understands…_ "Thank you," Cappy finally managed to utter, after getting back on to his feet.

"Boss, I feel a lot better now," Bijou said, "I plan to visit the Clubhouse tomorrow. But don't tell anyone. I want it to be a surprise."

"Huh? Oh, of course, Bijou!" Boss blurted out.

"And you'll be coming too, Cappy?" the French hamster asked.

"Yes," Cappy reluctantly replied, as he adjusted his hat back upon the top of his noggin.

"I'm glad."

_So am I…_

"I better get you back to your cage," Boss said to Cappy.

The field hamster and the green-capped hamster started towards the exit, to return to the joyful life.

"Cappy?"

The pet hamster turned to Bijou. "Yeah?"

"Don't let your talent die away. You have an amazing skill."

Cappy responded with a faint smile. "I won't."

They left the premises, allowing Bijou to finally rest in peace.


End file.
